


Cool Logic in the Face of Fire

by Moonywritesfanfic



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24281083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonywritesfanfic/pseuds/Moonywritesfanfic
Summary: A young girl sat under a tree, her bushy brown hair flooding around the trunk of the small Beech tree she sat under. Even though summer had just begun, she was sitting against the tree nose buried in a math textbook. It was quite warm for early July in Hampstead and this small eleven year old girl was overtaken by the math book far bigger then her. A shadow grew over the sunspots on her book and the smell of cypress and ink filled her nose. She turned around and the woman standing above her was like nothing she had seen before on her small quiet street.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. The Purple Seal

Hermione slowly stood up staring open mouthed at the stranger in front of her. Unsurprisingly, as it is not every day a tall woman in emerald robes stands outside in the warm early afternoon sun in front of an ordinary 11 year old girl. 

"Hermione Granger I presume?" she asked, eyebrow raising and hand outstretched.

Hermione took her hand.

"Yes, and you are?" She asked.

"Minerva McGonagall, I am actually here to speak with you and your parents Ms. Granger, are they home?" she seemed to already know the answer as she turned and moved for the door. 

She stepped back to allow Hermione to open the door, the house smelled like baking and warmth. Splayed in beige and crimson it was inviting as they walked into the foyer and Hermione yelled out for her parents.

"Mum? Dad? We have company!" she led Minerva McGonagall into the living room. 

Minerva McGonagall sat beside Hermione on the small beige couch, Minerva McGonagall took in the family photos on the mantel and the diplomas on the wall, both Mr and Mrs Granger were dentists. Hermione was noticing the heavy yellow envelope clutched in the older woman's hands. She thought to ask about it just as her parents entered, they stood and Hermione introduced them. 

"Mum, Dad, this is Minerva McGonagall, this is my mum Jean and my dad Richard." They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries before taking a seat.

"I will move quickly into this as I an sure we are all confused, I am Professor McGonagall, I teach at a school in Scotland. Hermione is an extraordinary girl, a year ahead, brightest of her age, although you know all this I am sure. Now, Hermione, have you ever made things happen or have things ever happened around you. Things that were strange or out of the ordinary?" she turned to face Hermione.

Hermione thought and well, yes she could come up with a few things! Some nights when she was reading way later then she should and was too tired to move she swore the pages of her book would turn out of pure will. Once she was angry with her father and stormed into her room the bedroom door slamming behind her before she could turn to slam it herself. Even her parents thought of an instance just the week prior where Hermione was walking home from school, her nose in a book and they swore a tree jumped out of her way. They voiced all of this to Professor McGonagall with an air of silliness, not really believing any of it was true.

"It is not silly nor pretend nor a figment of imagination. Hermione indeed has been doing things of great suprise with her mind. Hermione, is a Witch, we live in a world among Witches and Wizards such as myself. The school I teach at is full of both young people who come from magic backgrounds as well as those of non magical parents and I am here to deliver Hermione's acceptance letter."

She handed Hermione her letter and continued to explain to her parents. Hermione however had lost all track of the conversation as she ran the pad of her thumb across the writing scrolled across the yellow envelope. 

_Ms. H. Granger_

_21 Surpress Drive_

_Hampstead, England_

Hermione turned it over in her hands and on the back was a large purple wax seal with a crest of a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake. She thought it was beautiful and she carefully peeled it away from the envelope. She slowly pulled the parchment out and unfolded it. She read the letter in awe, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry she was a Witch, a Witch.

"Hermione, love?" Her mom's voice wafted through her daydream and she was pulled back into reality. 

"Erm, yes?" Hermione answered feeling like she had missed a question. 

"Do you have any questions for Professor McGonagall?" her dad asked her.

She had so many questions...


	2. "Dia- what?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione shops for school supplies as her debut to Hogwarts quickly arrives!

Over a month had passed since Professor McGonagall had shown up to tell Hermione Granger and her parents that she was a witch. Hermione was dying, absolutely dying to purchase her school supplies and read up on her new world. Professor McGonagall had sent her over a book called Hogwarts a History, and she had read it cover to cover, twice. Today however she was being picked up, along with her parents, by a soon to be senior to take her to get her books. Claudia Gilmore was a muggle born just like Hermione and she had volunteered to take Hermione to pick up her school supplies. 

Hermione was at the front window an hour before Claudia was supposed to be there. 

"Mione, honey, you have an hour to wait your mom isn't even dressed yet, why don't you go read or go for a walk?" Her dad was standing dressed in the doorway to the living room, he was dressed and ready because like Hermione he liked to be early. 

Hermione sighed, grabbing Hogwarts A History off the side table and propping it up on the arm of the couch. She settled laying on her stomach with a throw pillow under her chest and started reading. 

"Hermione! Are you ready love? Your school friend will be here any minute!" Hermione's reading was interrupted by her mom calling from the other room. 

She jumped up and looked out the window and right on time a tall blonde girl was walking up her walkway. She looked more normal then Professor McGonagall had as she opened the door. She wore muggle clothes and a friendly smile.

"Hi, Hermione?" she shook her hand. 

"I am, you're Claudia. I am so excited to meet you, this is my mum, my dad" Hermione pointed behind her. 

They shared pleasantries and headed out, they had decided before hand that Mr Granger would drive and they settled into his small four door and headed out. 

Hermione chattered Claudia's ear off, fact checking things she had learnt in her book, asking questions and going through her supply list. 

Hermione learnt that Hogwarts Great Hall's ceiling is charmed to reflect the sky above it, that Claudia was a Ravenclaw and that she would need to be fitted for robes. 

They arrived and parked on a street in London and walked about two blocks.

"It looks normal, mum, dad, we have walked this strip have we not?" She asked looking around like she was expecting a hole to open in the ground and swallow them whole. 

"There is a small pub just up here we will go through, to muggles it looks like a boarded up old shop front, Mrs Granger, Mr Granger try to remember there is a charm walking into it may leave you feeling a touch dizzy, go slow"

They reached the Leaky Cauldron and entered, there were all types of peculiar looking people, they sat for a quick second to let Hermione's parents get their bearings. 

"This is the Leaky Cauldron, kind of a famous little pub, we will take a second and then head out the back and begin your shopping in Diagon Alley. Hermione, let's take a quick peak at your list." Claudia gestured to the parchment Hermione was clinging to as she looked around wide eyed.

"Dia- what?" she asked pulling her gaze away from a very short man in a very peculiar hat.

"Diagon Alley, list please" Claudia took the parchment and spread it out on the table. 

Uniform

First Year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4\. One winter cloak (black with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils clothes should be labeled

They read the first section together and then Claudia checked in with the Grangers who felt steady and prepared to continue on. They all stood as Hermione folded her parchment carefully and headed out the rear exit. They came across a small courtyard mostly barren and walked up to the back wall, Claudia pulled out a wand and tapped the bricks in a particular succession. The last brick quivered, then the whole wall began to shake and as it did the bricks began tumbling back to open a large archway and Claudia led the way through. They stepped over the threshold onto a cobbled street that wound around to the left. 

"Welcome to Diagon Alley" Claudia said as they turned the corner. 

The buildings were crooked and cramped, the streets stuffed with people. Diagon Alley bustled with activity, shops bearing signs like "Mulligrubs" and "Flourish and Blotts". They had books and other foreign objects stacked in leaning piles in windows, some had animals, plants, weird smells or smoke coming from them. They stopped at a shop called Madame Malkins, the windows had robes on mannequins and floating tape measures. They entered with a little bell and as the door closed behind them the hustle and bustle of the street faded away. 

"Hello, Ms Gilmore, well I hope?" A small, kind looking witch asked.

"Yes Madame Malkin, very well, I am actually here with Ms Granger and her parents she needs fitted for her first set of robes" Claudia smiled putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder. 

Hermione suddenly felt very in the spotlight and felt her cheeks burn. 

"Good morning Ms Granger, step back this way and we will get you started" Madame Malkin took Hermione by the elbow and led her into the back of the shop.

Hermione stepped on a footstool and was taken over by Madame Malkin dressing her in black and levitating measuring tapes. Hermione was completely shocked and speechless, something that didn't happen often. 

"Done Darling, I will get you everything you need made up in your size and you can come back in about an hours time to grab them okay?" Hermione smiled and nodded.

When she went back out into the front she spotted her parents and Claudia across the street. She walked up and Claudia asked for her list and together they read the next portion which made Hermione brighten right up. 

She needed many course books and Hermione had been waiting for this moment, she was most excited for The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander. 

They entered Flourish and Blotts, Hermione inhaled deeply savouring the smell of parchment, ink and dust, old books. They were stacked everywhere she turned, you could barely walk without walking into a stack leaning precariously. She purchased what she needed and after a lot of bartering convinced her parents for three more. They left with heavy bags and smiles. They picked up the last things she needed a cauldron, set of phials, telescope and scales. 

Last stop was her wand, Hermione didn't know why but this made her nervous, Claudia explained that she would pick up her wand at Ollivanders. The shop was definitely the shabbiest of them all with peeling letters reading _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382BC._

"I suggest you go in on your own Hermione, getting your wand is a very intimate endeavor. We will be right here when you are done" Claudia could tell Hermione was feeling nervous and gave her a small squeeze.

Hermione pushed open the door and walked in, it seemed dark coming in from the sunlit street. The shop was very empty but there were dark narrow boxes piled from floor to ceiling. 

"Coming" said a quiet voice from behind the stacks, the voice did not settle Hermione's nerves one bit. 

The older man appeared in dark robes, his hands folded neatly against his abdomen. His hair and eyes seemed to glow against the darkness of the shop Hermione felt warmed and settled. 

Ollivander explained that the wand chooses the wizard, Hermione knew some about woods and cores, lengths and how they worked from the little bit touched on in Hogwarts a History. Ollivander walked towards the boxes and ran his hand along them until he stopped suddenly. He lifted a box slowly and opened it to Hermione. 

"10 3/4 in length, made of the lightest vine wood, and with a strong dragon heart string core. a beautiful strong wand" Ollivander tilted the wand for Hermione to lift it out.

It instantly felt like it fit in her hand, the skin of her palm warming under the wood.

"Give it a little flick, love" Ollivander said warmly also feeling the connection. 

Hermione flicked her wand and a wisp of silver glowing mist danced out of the tip and slowly and beautifully wound its way around her in a spiral, sparkling and warming the room.

"I, I am shocked Ms Granger, speechless even, it is not everyday that a young Witch finds her wand, or better it finds you, on the first try, I feel that you will be an extraordinary Witch to do extraordinary things" Ollivander took the wand packaged it back up and sent Hermione on her way. 

\--

After a very long day and many thank yous and hugs to Claudia, Hermione collapsed into her bed exhausted and so, so content. She turned on her lamp and cracked open Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. 


End file.
